The ringleader of this circus is Snyder, 38, who wants to own the Redskins for many years. He wants to learn. He'll pick any brain. That's admirable. But he's learning on our time. Even more scary, there's plenty of precedent that, despite his brains, energy and good intentions, he'll never be a "football man."

To see the problem more clearly, use that old principle from high school algebra: invert. Imagine a great football executive who wakes up one day and inherits a controlling interest in Intel. So, he quits football and makes himself CEO of Intel. Why? "Because I've always loved computers. And I'm a quick learner." What would you do with your Intel shares?

priceless!

"Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son." - Dean Wormer

Well - if Snyder is the ringleader - Spurrier is the head of the clown show:

Nowhere do the fundamentals seem more lacking than on offense, where Spurrier had made his reputation. Patrick Ramsey has been sacked 29 times and probably has taken two or three hits for every sack. He has suffered a bruised shoulder (twice), bruised left hip, bruised left hand, dislocated left pinkie and bruised left forearm.

“Whatever system Steve is running, it isn’t working,” ESPN analyst and former Redskins star Joe Theismann told the Washington Post on Tuesday. “He’s not protecting the quarterback. That’s not a criticism. That’s a fact.”

Spurrier hasn’t adjusted to the fact that NFL defenses get to the quarterback far faster than college defenses. Spurrier’s scheme, which is supposed to feature deep routes, doesn’t leave enough people back to protect Ramsey.

Ramsey continues to struggle to call audibles, hasn’t done a good job reading blitzes and thus holds the ball too long. The routes run by receivers don’t provide Ramsey with adequate “hot” options.

The problems on the field may start with mismanagement from the front office - but they definitely end with piss poor coaching, inexperience in the head coach and assistants, and too damn much pride to admit that what they are coaching is wrong and learn from it to change to something that might be TOTALLY different.

I mean, good gosh - if they can't get long routes open quick enough to get Ramsey protected, change the routes. I think a telling thing in that quote is that there aren't adequate hot routes for Ramsey to dump to, not to mention what wasn't written - "Stonehands" Gardner - the possession receiver who runs hot routes doesn't hang on to the ball more than 40% of the time the ball hits him in the hands, and that apparently Spurrier doesn't coach coming back or breaking off routes to save your quarterback's hiney.

I'm sorry - maybe Snyder has made mistakes but the idiocy that is on the field isn't Snyder at this point. It is Bozo and the clown car in the ring now under the spotlight.

Even Sowell states that at least Snyder is ATTEMPTING TO LEARN! Spurrier is telling everyone that he isn't when he tells them that he is only going to adjust a little here and there, he won't lose the audibles and won't keep people in to protect more. Edwards keeps the same cover 2 soft zone defense down after down, allowing the defensive backs to play so far off the receivers that all they have to do is run a quick slant to get first down after first down. When you don't see adjustments on the field, folks, it isn't the owner, it is the daggone coaching staff.

Ok, so blame Snyder because of the DL. He lost Gardener, Powell and Wilkinson. Right? Ok, well, they were probably thinking that they couldn't keep paying Wilkinson that much money to do nothing, and Gardener wanted a small fortune. Want to have a chance to keep Bailey AND Arrington? Unfortunately there will be sacrifices to do so. Gardener was one and Wilkinson the other. You know, teams have done better with less on the line, like Rhodes. He didn't have Gardener did he? He had Wilkinson, but even then, Big Daddy didn't do much. He used his linebackers constantly attacking the line of scrimmage and his cornerbacks to cover. He didn't ask his linebackers to sit still and react to the play from 7 yards deep, or drop back into a zone. He allowed the defensive players to play to their strengths. The linebackers ran downhill towards the ball from the snap, and often played 1 yard off the LOS. Man coverage was the call of the day for Rhodes. Did we get burnt by it? No. That was the last year we went to the playoffs folks. 10-6 I believe?

I make a challenge to all of you to watch the linebackers and cornerbacks in the next game to see if I am not right. In most cases, the linebackers will all stack up behind the DL, all of them inside the defensive ends. They will be 6-7 yards off the ball and the cornerbacks in most cases will be too. After the ball snaps, there will be one to two seconds delay by the linebackers before they even start to move, and by that time the runner is almost to the line or the QB has had two seconds to read the defense. A lot of the first downs that will happen will be little out, in, hitch or slant routes run a few yards shy of the first down marker, but because the cornerbacks play off the WR so far, they have time to turn and run. The runs will generally earn our opponents 4-5 yards a pop and the passes no less than 6-7.
You will be able to count the number of blitzes on two hands, and you can't include the three man lines with Arrington as the 4th rusher because by all definitions it is still a 4 man rush. By the end of the 3rd quarter of this bend but don't break scheme, the defense will be exhausted from being on the field so long between the ineffective offense and the idea we can let the opponents control the ball for so long series after series.

If Smith plays on the right end, look for many runs to the left of the offense and see if the man doesn't pass rush (using spins and obvious pass rush moves) even on obvious run plays. Watch how the left offensive tackle handles him, pushing him farther in the direction he spins while the running back goes the opposite way.

I am an amateur, and I have read this defense over the last 8 games and these are the patterns that happen every game. I told all this to my wife before the Dallas game. I told her to watch and see if there were any adjustments made and how to see if there weren't. She looked at me after two series by the defense and shouted "He hasn't changed a damn thing."

If I can read it this easily, dissect it this easily, why can't a pro coordinator who is good at his job?

Folks, if the pattern remains the way I stated up above, you will see it. If it is way changed, we might actually win.

But still, that is the coaching - not the ownership.

Rich in Roanoke
_______________________________________
Let others hail the rising sun:
I bow to that whose course is run

Very well put. I can't add anything to what was already said. I watch in disbelief each week at how a team this rich in talent can just play so piss poorly. What is it going to take for someone to realize that if we continue to call plays like this we are going to kill the best QB prospect we have had in years?

I don't know - that is my whole point. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to realize that the system isn't working with 3 pro bowlers on the OL 3 pro bowlers at LB and 1 in the secondary. How many first rounders we have on this team is amazing. If the team can't perform any better than this, it isn't because of orders coming down from the skybox during the game, but orders coming from the SIDELINE during the game.

Rich in Roanoke
_______________________________________
Let others hail the rising sun:
I bow to that whose course is run

It's fine to say this all falls on the coaching, because let's face it, they're just doing a piss poor job.

And so is Snyder.

it doesn't matter how good some of the things he does are, right now, he is making it impossible for this team to succeed. We have no structure. We have no football people making decisions. No coach can succeed in the present environment in D.C. Ownership did go out and get Fun 'N Gun tools, and Snyder is one of the best schmoozer's in the league, I have stated this on NUMEROUS equations.

But constant meddling, and making it impossible for any coach to authoritatively guide this team have brought this once storied franchise to it's knees.

Because it really doesn't matter whether Snyder is as bad as he is portrayed in the media... the perception of this as fact is what is now killing the franchise. No good press is EVER written about this team outside the DC area, and precious little from within the area either.

To the vast majority of the country the Washington Redskins have become nothing more than Daniel Snyder's play toy. The truth of the statement is COMPLETELY irrelevant because it is now PERCEIVED as fact regardless.

To belittle the importance of the complete lack of structure and stability in this organization that has been created by Snyder's inability to let someone 'look after his toy', is in my opinion, irresponsible.

The coaches have no control over this team and the players know it. The coaches have not, and never will get, the respect they need to effectively do their jobs as long as they are just puppets for the puppetmaster. It is not an environment for any degree of success, and it's no coincidence that we're not experiencing any.

I think looking for a single problem with this organization is futile.... we have many, and the number is growing.

IMO, Spurrier is only one of those problems... he's just the most obvious.

Your Missing the Point Rich. The comment wasn't saying Spurrier ie. coaches are blameless, but does make a valid point about running the ship. I just loved the comment about Intel - makes perfect sense to me. I really enjoy playing ESPN NFL 04 - maybe I will program a new game with all my lack of experience/expertise - NOT!!

Having said all this, sure there are all sorts of problems with the team - mostly coaching. But we could spend all day - as you almost did on the 1st reply - agonizingly going over them.

Snyder needs to surround the organization with solid personnel - starting with a real GM - not a wanna be like VC. Next get Spurrier the proper supporting staff - good to great assistants vs. what he has now. Snyder has put a solid team together (from a pocketbook perspective) but has fail in terms of his support staff.

Love his desire to win - just don't know if he knows how to channel it effectively.

"Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son." - Dean Wormer

I just want to make sure of one thing before I start to reply to y'alls well written arguments... please... nobody take my vehemence about trying to write about what bothers me about this team as a personal attack - because they aren't. We all have opinions, and I don't want anyone to take what I write personally - we all want 'em to win... we want that desperately. Just understand that my emphasis is due to love of the B & G and not trying to smack anyone's ideas down.

I agree with you Boss and you as well Speek that Snyder should have a good GM. I really do. I look at it more of a situation of Cerrato being Wormtongue in Lord of the Rings more than Snyder being the main bad guy. I agree he is making mistakes and the people around him are not helping the situation.

I disagree that he brought the franchise to its knees - that happened under John Cooke and Charlie Casserly. Knowing what they knew was going to happen with free agency - after all Plan B free agency was a precursor to transition to full free agency - they brought in players they KNEW they wouldn't be able to afford the next year with the incoming salary cap. Petitbon had to dump half the team and we had our worst record in my memory. On top of that, Norv Turner was hired as the head coach and left in for years under that same regime with very little to show for it.

I agree that he should step aside and let a real football man run the team. I understand that you, Boss, have made a lot of comments regarding Snyder's schmoozeristic abilities and I agree that it is the worst of all worlds to have no structure in the organization.

I disagree that the coaches have no control, as there have been players brought in and cut by Spurrier's whim, but there is definitely a divided leadership, which is bad.

I never said that we should only see or look for one problem, but what I am saying is that right now we don't have any field generals leading the troops. While Snyder has made some steps towards learning, I agree wholeheartedly that someone like a Jimmy Johnson needs to be brought in as a GM - not even as a coach - and given the power to make the decisions behind the scenes and report back to Snyder. Snyder can make suggestions, and I think it would be silly to say that owners don't make suggestions to their GMs and coaches all the time. Should a 38 year old man be making all the calls with no football experience? No, but I suspect it will only be a matter of time before he figures that out, and then everyone will be happy with a young, wealthy owner who has his priorities straight.

If anyone here thinks that other owners and teams don't get the same crappy media that we are when their teams look like crap they don't read the media in Cincinnati, Arizona or other places like that.

What is the most embarrassing is when commentators are saying that the players look lost, the coach looks lost, nobody knows their assignments, there are blown plays, no adjustments and no adaptation. That is what fries my brain on Sundays. The problem is that isn't the owner - that is the coaching. What papers are generally writing about are the coaching problems - they all mention a lack of a GM and Snyder meddling - but they hammer down on Spurrier and his schemes.

I just disagree that what we are seeing on the field right now is purely Snyder's fault. I just couldn't sit tight and see people blaming everything on Snyder... and there were some doing so.

I agree that there are problems riddling the entire organization, but the most glaring to me are the one's that could be fixed with adjustments on the field and the coaches swallowing their pride.

Rich in Roanoke
_______________________________________
Let others hail the rising sun:
I bow to that whose course is run

I agree with all said Rich, and I'm not implying that Snyder is responsible for the on-field antics. But in a well run organization, with structure...

the owner is responsible for choosing a GM stop

the GM is responsible for choosing a coach stop

the GM and coach then decide on players therefore hopefully taking into consideration both personnel needs and financial responsibility. stop

the coach is responsible for getting the players to play stop

the players are responsible for playing football stop

I know that all of those things seem fundamental... but since there is no structure at all, there is no level of accountability at all, and NONE of those things transpire. Spurrier can't be expected to keep his place in the chain of command when there is no chain of command.

Not to add fuel to the fire. But I couldnt agree more with Rich. Other than the release of Danny W...Spurrier is running this ship. Into the ground I may add. I am not ready to give up on SS yet but things need to change and I am not talking about in the owners box. Yes we all know that we need a GM not a Snyder yes man but Snyder allowed SS to bring HIS people from Florida who supposedly understood the FUN N GUN. Edwards although not a bad LB coach should not have been promoted to DC. SS allowed influence from players to cloud his judgement on that. As you may remember when Snyder is hiring coaches he goes after the best (ie: Marvin Lewis). There is enough blame to go around it just shouldnt be mainly directed at Snyder.

I totally agree there should be a GM in the mix. I however still reiterate that there is no way an owner doesn't get involved, even if it is the GM walking into their office with the final information relating to a draft list or contract requests. I know there isn't a GM in the league signing someone to a 100 mil contract without the owner saying ok.

The only thing that this chain of command has any different in it is that Snyder is acting in concert with Cerrato as the GM, and that IS a mistake as far as I am concerned.

Wolfe, Donahoe, Bethard... some good names to look at if they become avaiable - although I think JJ is a good GM choice with his talent evaluation ability.

Rich in Roanoke
_______________________________________
Let others hail the rising sun:
I bow to that whose course is run

I think I agree with everyone here and everything that was said...how that's for riding the fence? But, please no JJ...he's a cowpuke thru and thru....remember "how 'bout them cowpukes"....I couldn't stand the idea of that being rubbed in our noses day in and day out, by cowpuke fans and the media during hard times.

Boy, since I started coming to this board I have learned a lot of different perspectives and it is very refreshing, since I live in Dallas and dont have any other Redskins fans to discuss with.
Here is another of my .02 cents observations since last sundays game that I attended.
First off at work I listened to Spurier's taped post game new conference and if I hadnt been the one who clicked on it to listen I would have thought it was any of the last two cowboy coaches. Here's why.... living in Dallas I cant help but here news about the cowboys and as everyone knows the cowboys have struggled in the last few years also. One thing I used to notice about the last cowboys head coaches was the use of the word "we". We couldnt block, we couldnt run, we couldnt pass. Well that was exactly what Spurier said in his post game news conference.
In my opinion Coaches have to motivate espcially in tough times, EVEN if it means pointing fingers and saying so-n-so is missing their assignments too much. Coaches have to challenge players to have them play their positions. When I screw up at work my boss doesnt come over and put his arem around me and say its ok, "WE" missed our block(s) and the other team won. He, Spurier is there for a reason and one is to be the "Boss" at least of the players. Sorry coach the pass was a little low so I didnt catch it. Sorry coach I missed the defense rush and they got our quarterback and oh yea sorry I didnt help him up off the turf.
I know its a team sport but like the old saying goes "the chain is only as strong as its weakest link"
I know King Gibbs wouldnt put up with players repeatily missing their assignments on the field.
Wow I feel so much better for venting these opinions, thanks guys.
Long live the "Posse" and the straght-away field goal kickers!

Born in Texas and proud to be a Redskin fan. How I became a Redskin fan?
Long ago Redskins were getting beat by the Raiders, Billy brought them back to victory and ever since then,
GO REDSKINS ! !

Lev wrote:In my opinion Coaches have to motivate espcially in tough times, EVEN if it means pointing fingers and saying so-n-so is missing their assignments too much. Coaches have to challenge players to have them play their positions. When I screw up at work my boss doesnt come over and put his arem around me and say its ok, "WE" missed our block(s) and the other team won.

I have to disagree on one point Lev, I don't believe in calling people out in public - this should be handled behind closed doors - when you screw up at work it doesn't make it to the front page. But behind closed doors - have no mercy - the coach should make no mistake about how he feels.

We all feel the same - and I agree Rich, the coaches are responsible for getting the players ready to play the game - mentally and physically. What the Skins have lacked for so long is a "Coach Leader" who commands their respects and motivates them to achieve above their levels of expectation (not to mention just be good at what they do ie. picking up offensive and defensive schemes and making adjustments). We were so spoiled with Gibbs - he could make average players appear great because confidence and motivation make average players great players.

The Jury is still out on this team, but as always I hope we find our way back to the Glory Days.

Peace

"Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son." - Dean Wormer